Cocomonkey
First Post
Hi all...lurked here for a while, and can usually find whatever info I may happen to be looking for, but this time around, I can't seem to find the right info...it's either a bit out of date, or not quite what I'm looking for.
Basically, I'm joining a campaign that's already begin, but isn't too far in (level 2), and which should be going to 20 if it manages to get all the way through (Mad Mage). The group appears to be mostly ranged chars or casters who think they're melee (as part of their character), so they're lacking a tank-y or melee char. My problem is, I just finished a long campaign as the party's tank and have started a new one again as that party's tank (albeit as a different class). So I don't want to just do that again for a third time, even if it's as a third class. So I need something that can fill that role, while still being engaging/enjoyable for me, but isn't just a straight tank.
My thought was to try to build a grappling caster of some kind...basically someone who looks like an wizened, shriveled old man, but when he wants, rips open his robe to reveal a chiseled torso and 8-pack abs, grabs someone by the throat, and starts pouring spells into his face with his fists (not literally, but you get the idea...casts into the grapple).
I don't mind multiclassing (but wouldn't want to do it too much--two classes max). I'm not sure what's allowed or disallowed at the table, but I'm assuming anything UA is not allowed for now (until I can clarify that), so it would have to be out of the books.
I thought about an EK (with stat focus split between Str and Int) and Prodigy to boost Athletics for grappling, but they're pretty lacking in spell slots, and just not sure if there isn't a better route. War Magic Wizard with a couple levels of Fighter? I don't know. So I thought I'd ask here if anyone has better advice for how to accomplish this. Oh, and standard array starting stats.
And if the advice is that this isn't even something that can really be done viably, or won't scale up well/at all, I can always abandon the idea; I'm not wedded to it.
Thanks in advance!
Basically, I'm joining a campaign that's already begin, but isn't too far in (level 2), and which should be going to 20 if it manages to get all the way through (Mad Mage). The group appears to be mostly ranged chars or casters who think they're melee (as part of their character), so they're lacking a tank-y or melee char. My problem is, I just finished a long campaign as the party's tank and have started a new one again as that party's tank (albeit as a different class). So I don't want to just do that again for a third time, even if it's as a third class. So I need something that can fill that role, while still being engaging/enjoyable for me, but isn't just a straight tank.
My thought was to try to build a grappling caster of some kind...basically someone who looks like an wizened, shriveled old man, but when he wants, rips open his robe to reveal a chiseled torso and 8-pack abs, grabs someone by the throat, and starts pouring spells into his face with his fists (not literally, but you get the idea...casts into the grapple).
I don't mind multiclassing (but wouldn't want to do it too much--two classes max). I'm not sure what's allowed or disallowed at the table, but I'm assuming anything UA is not allowed for now (until I can clarify that), so it would have to be out of the books.
I thought about an EK (with stat focus split between Str and Int) and Prodigy to boost Athletics for grappling, but they're pretty lacking in spell slots, and just not sure if there isn't a better route. War Magic Wizard with a couple levels of Fighter? I don't know. So I thought I'd ask here if anyone has better advice for how to accomplish this. Oh, and standard array starting stats.
And if the advice is that this isn't even something that can really be done viably, or won't scale up well/at all, I can always abandon the idea; I'm not wedded to it.
Thanks in advance!